Safety razor



Jan. 5,1937.

illlmlh C.BLJANES SAFETY RAZOR Filed April 15, 1935 MINI 2 Shets-Shet 1 XI/ENTER.

ATTY- c. B. JANES SAFETY RAZOR Jan: 5; 1937.

Filed April 15, 1955 ZShets-Sheet 2 VENTUR BTTY.

l atented Jan. 1%?

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to razors of the safety type, and the object of my invention is to devise .a razor which will give a more. satisfactory shave than therazors at present in use. I attain my object by providing adjacent the cutting edge a guard bar, which is resiliently mounted so that it occupies a position directly in front of the cutting edge of the blade, but which under pressure against the skin moves to one side of said cutting edge just sufficient to suit the preference of the user to secure the most satisfactory results, and which will immediately return to the normal blade-protecting position when pressure is released. It is realized, of course, in shaving that best results are obtained if the blade lies as close as possible to a position at right angles to the hair, and increased pressure of the guard bar on the skin, due to the spring mounting of the latter and the increased tilting of the blade, serves to indicate to the user that the blade is departing I from its most efficient cutting position.

The razor is hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a simple form of razor;

Fig. 2 a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 a plan view with the upper clamping plate removed;

Fig. 4 a side elevation with the head shown in section;

Fig. 5 a plan View partly broken away, of a double edge razor,

Fig. 6 a side elevation of the razor shown in Fig. 5 the head being shown in section,

Fig. 7 a plan View showing a modified arrangement of double edge razor with top plate rejmoved;

Fig. 8 a crosssection through the head of the razor shown in Fig. '7, Fig. 9 a perspective view of the razor shown in Fig. '7, but with a modified form of handle.

Fig. 10 a front view, partly broken away of the razor shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11' a side elevation of the razor shown in Fig. 9, with the handle broken away, and showing f the method of stropping.

Fig. 12 an enlarged sectional detail showing the means for locking the head in shaving position; and

Fig. 13 an endview of the same.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Referring particularly to the razor shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the razor comprises a head divided to form a lower clamping plate I and upper clamping plate 2, which are provided with alined threaded holes, as shown in Fig. 4, to receive the threaded stem 3 of the handle 4, by means of which the plates are secured together. These plates are wedge shaped, and between these plates at the thin edge is a recess for receiving the blade 5. In the form shown the blade is formed with a thick back to prevent its with- 5 drawal from the recess, but it will be understood, of course, that any other form of interengagemerit may be provided to hold the blade in place.

In order that the blade may lie, during the cutting operation as close as possible to a position at right angles to the hair, the clamping plates are made quite thin, and the blade extends considerably beyond the thin edges of said plates.

To guard the cutting edge of the blade, I provide a guard 5, preferably formed as a rectangular open frame, one side of which is supported in bearing seats 7 formed between the clamping plates, and the opposite side lies a short distance in iront'of the cutting edge of the blade.

Intermediate the seats I in the clamping plates is formed a recess 9 in which are mounted coil springs 50, one end of each spring being secured to the guard and the other to the under clamping plate I, which springs normally tend to hold the free side of the guard directly in front of the cutting edge. Tongues ll are providedisee Fig. 3) which'hold the guard and springs in place in the plate I. I

In Figs. 5 and 6 a modification is shown in which the invention. is applied to a double edged razor. The clamping plates I and 2 show a structure substantially diamond-shaped in cross section, and a blade recess is formed at each side in which a blade is positioned.

The guard comprises a rectangular frame l2, one side of which liesin front of one cutting edge and one side in front of the other cutting edge. Bearing seats I3 are formed between the platesinto which extend pivot pins Hi extending from the side bars of the guard. Recesses l5 are formed between the clamping plates in which are positioned springs I6 whichserve to holdthe guard in position immediately in front of the cutting edges.

In Figs. 7 and 8, a modification is shown in which a separate guard I1 is provided for each cutting edge. Flat springs l8 extend between the guards. The springs l8 are bent as illustrated in dotted lines when'the guards are rocked, and when pressure on the guard is released, the latter under the action of the springs at once moves back to normal blade protecting position.

In Figs. 9, 10 and 11 is shown a head of the type shown in Figs. '7 and 8, but a modified form of handle, which is intended to facilitate stropping and also to permit the head to be reversed so that the opposite side of the cutting edge may be employed. In this form the handle is formed in two parts, one of which is a U-shaped member l9, and the other a casing adapted to be sleeved on the member IS. The casing 20 when in its retracted position, bears against the under side of the head, see Figs. 12 and 13, and prevents the latter from rocking, but which, when in extended position provides sufficient space for the head to be rocked to present its other side outermost.

In stropping the blades, it is desirable to rock the head back and forth to alternatively engage the blades with the strop as the razor is moved back and forth relative to the strop. To permit this rocking action the handle casing is slightly extended as shown in Fig. 11 to provide space for the strop 29 to be passed between the casing and head. To automatically rock the head as stropping is proceeded with, I provide the following means.

Extending across the U-shaped member I9, is a rod 2| on which is rotatably mounted a sleeve 24. The legs of the member l9 are provided with slots 2? in which the ends of the rod 2i may be moved to or from the head. One end of the rod 21 is provided with a threaded end to receive a clamping nut 25 by means of which the rod may be secured in position as adjusted. This rod 2| and nut 25 is utilized also to hold the handle casing 20 in head-engaging position, the threaded end being of a length to extend through a slot 28 in the casing and the nut 25 in this case bearing against the outside of the casing as illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13. At one end of the head is a pinion 22, and fixedly connected with the direction, the head is rocked to bring the opposite blade into engagement with the strop. For example, when the razor is moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 11, the blade at one side of the head is held in stropping engagement with the strop as shown in full lines, while when the razor is moved in the reverse direction thestrop rotates the sleeve 24 and through the pinions 23 and 22 the head is caused to rock to engage the blade at its other side with the strop as shown in dotted lines. When it is desired to use or strop the other sides of the blades, the position of the head may be adjusted by loosening the clamping nut, withdrawing the casing, adjusting the position of the head, advancing the. casing and again tightening up the nut.

With the form of handle shown in Figs. 9 to 13 the clamping plates are secured together by a screw 26.

A razor constructed as above described possesses a number of advantages. The guard, held in position by spring action, tends to regulate the angle of the blade to the face. The guard, which precedes the blade over the face, gives a perfect indication of the position of the blade. Further, the guard first contacts with any pimple, mole or other protuberance on the skin and thus warns the user of the necessity for caution.

The guard is always in position to guard the cutting edge when the razor is set down on a table, wash-basin or other surface liable to damage the cutting edge. The guard further serves to protect the users fingers or towel from damage when cleaning and drying the razor after use.

It will be seen that there are no places where dirt may lodge, and therefore all that is necessary after use is to rinse the razor OE and dry with a suitable cloth. The head need only be taken apart when it is desired to insert a new blade.

The arrangement of blade and guard, as will be seen from Fig. 11 lends itself well to stropping, as pressure against the strop will readily move the guard out of the way to facilitate the stropping action.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a safety razor, a head comprising a pair of clamping plates; a blade mounted between said plates with its cutting edge projecting beyond the edge of said plates; a guard member; said plates having bearing seats formed in their adjacent surfaces in which said guard member is pivoted, and also a recess intermediate said bearing seats; and spring means in said recess adapted to normally hold said guard in a position in the same plane as the blade.

2. In a safety razor, the combination of a head comprising a pair of clamping members; blade means mounted between said members with the cutting edges projecting beyond the edge of said members; arms between which said head is pivotally mounted, each of said arms having a slot formed longitudinally thereof; a rod mounted in said slots; a sleeve rotatable on said rod; a pinion rotatable with the head; a pinion rotatable with the sleeve adapted to mesh with the first mentioned pinion when said rod is near the end of the slots adjacent the head; a handle slidable longitudinally on said arms, said handle being adapted when in one position to allow said head to completely rotate and in another position to hold said head from rocking; and means for locking said handle and rod in head-engaging position.

3. In a safety razor, the combination of a bladecarrying head; a U-shaped frame having its legs pivotally connected with the ends of said head; and a movable handle sleeved over said frame adapted when in one position to permit the head to be completely rotated and in another position to hold said head from rocking.

4. In a. safety razor, the combination of a head;

.a blade having its cutting edge projecting from into a position in front of the cutting edge in the,

median plane of the blade.

5. In a safety razor, the combination of a head;

blade means having cutting edges projecting from opposite edges of the head; a guard for each cutting edge comprising a pair of side arms pivotally mounted on the head and a guard bar connecting said side arms; and spring means normally tending to rock said side arms to move the guard bar 7 into a position in front of the cutting edge in the median plane of the blade.

6. In a safety razor, the combination of a head having a cutting edge at one side thereof; a guard for said. cutting edge comprising a pair of side arms pivotally mounted on the head and a guard bar connecting said side arms; and spring means normally tending to rock said side arms to move the guard bar into a position in front of the cutting edge in the median plane of the blade.

CHARLES BRINK JANES. 

